Fourth Interview Questions

Content: 

1. How can the Pasadena Humane Society best help citizens become responsible pet owners?
   
2.  Are there any ideas that were put out there, but didn't pull through?
   
3. What's the most common mistake pet owners make and how could that be fixed?
   
4. True or false: The idea of getting people to adopt from their local shelter is already a start to being a responsible pet owner.
   
5. How more could we get the word out of adopting or rescuing rather than buying a pet?
   
6. I understand that there are summer workshops for kids at the shelter. What exactly do they consist of?
   
7. What makes those workshops so successful and engaging to the kids? What keeps them wanting to come back every summer?
   
8. How could we enforce that same effect and outcome on the rest of the Pasadena residents?
   
9. Aside from specifically just the Pasadena Humane Society, what could the general public do to help people in their city become more responsible pet owners?
   
10.  Is it possible for me to run some kind of workshop?
    
11. What's considered a responsible pet owner?
    
12. Is there some kind of education center for potential pet owners / adopters?
    
13. What distinguishes PHS from all the other shelters? What makes it different /stand out? 
    
14. How long have you been a volunteer? What got you interested?
    
15.  Since you've been here, have you seen any changes?
    
16.  If you were given the chance to work in the adoption center, what would you look for in the potential pet owner in order to decide whether they were ready or not?
    
17.  Would fundraising / hosting events help in any way?
    
18. When hosting the different workshops already placed here, what's invested / how does the shelter get the money to host such things?
    
19. Do you guys host events outside of the shelter or associate traditionally with?
    
20. How could I myself help people become more responsible pet owners?

Advisory Meeting #2

Essential Question: How can a potential pet owner best prepare for a shelter adoption? 

 

Answer #2: To best prepare for any sort of adoption, whether it be from a rescue group or shelter, a potential pet owner must acquire a lot of patience.  

 

3 details to support the answer (a detail is a fact and an example):

• The only thing that is consistent is that they will need lots of patience, understanding, love, and probably most importantly, unconditional acceptance of what they are and what their limitations may be. 
• Because shelter dogs may have a background of unfavorable treatment from a previous owner, and they may be beyond “prime training age”, you must always use patience with any animal shelter dog you adopt. (with the exception of puppies)
• Some of these dogs are going to take right to a new owner with no problems. It is the dogs with a history of abusive treatment we especially need to use love and patience with. It will take time for the dog to learn you are not going to hurt them.
• Have patience with your new dog’s behavior, level of training, and the time it takes to establish a bond with you. Give your new dog time and space to adjust. Commit time the first few days to get to know your dog’s habits and personality. Establish a routine for the dog and balance interaction and down-time. This is a period of trust-building, so don’t scare or yell at the dog or try to force close contact. Watch your dog’s postures and expressions. Learn to read him. It may take even up to several months for you to get to know your dog’s true nature. And don’t forget, your new dog is trying to do the same with you!

The research source (s) to support your details and answer:

• 3rd Interview *
• http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/adopting-puppy-mill-dog
• http://dogingtonpost.com/be-patient-with-rescueadopted-dogs/#.Uw6SeYXosuE
• http://www.arlboston.org/welcoming-your-adopted-dog-into-your-home/
• http://www.retrieversandfriends.com/resources-adopting-kennel-dog.asp

Concluding SentenceLove is definitely needed in large amounts, but so is patience; the damage done during the years in the kennel usually can be overcome, but it takes time and dedication.

Independent Component 2 Approval

Content

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

• For my 30 hours, I plan on hosting a towel drive, with the help of another iPoly student. The towel drive was suggested to me by my first mentor, Elana Blum. It's, as the name says, a way to get towels (used or new) from people from iPoly and outside for the animals at the Pasadena Humane Society. Aside from towels, I may ask for blankets as well, since the cats and dogs don't have beds. It's our goal to make the environment as comfortable as possible for them, since being caged up in a strange place is stressful as it is.
  

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

• To meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence, as mentioned above, I will be collecting towels (and blankets) from people by going around during the week and making announcements. This may only be twice a week (Mondays & Wednesdays), and on Fridays, I'll make my rounds to collect them. I believe I'll make a chart (independent 2 log) and log in how many towels I get per week.

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

• What I'm doing will help me get the word out of what's going on in the shelter, and how because of our economy plus the overpopulation of shelter animals, we aren't able to provide even the simplest things for these animals. Sure, the shelter's focused solely on the more important things (vaccinations, medicines, etc.), but what about the rest? Chew toys? Food? A bed to sleep on? The slightest way our peers can help is by donations. Or even better? Adopting. Which all ties into my essential question of how a potential pet owner can best prepare for a shelter adoption. Definitely being up to date and knowledgeable about what's going on is a start.
  

4.  Post a log on the right hand side of your blog near your other logs and call it the independent component 2 log.

• Done.

Independent Component 1

• LITERAL
  (a) I, Devanna Terry, affirm that I completed my independent component, which represents 30 hours of work.
  (b) Anthony Thomson, the owner of the dog, was my main source to go to whenever I had a question about Blue.
  (c) Working on this.(d) Since the beginning of the year, my aunt and I have been fostering a pitbull named Blue. Since she works from 8 am - 6 pm, I'm in charge of watching over the little guy. The routine was the same for the most part: Feed, play, brush, walk. As if he were my own.

• INTERPRETIVE I guess the most significant parts of this component is learning how to train him to have a completely more relaxed personality. Instead of aggressively playing or taking a dog treat out of my hand, I would say "Gentle, gentle.." and he would take things gently.
  

• APPLIED
  This refers back to my essential question because in order to be a responsible pet owner, you must prepare yourself for dogs who don't always have that perfect personality. Which refers back to my first answer of identifying your needs and recognizing the commitment.

Lesson 2 Reflection

Content:

1. Positive Statement: What are you most proud of in your Lesson 2 Presentation and why?I think I like the fact that my activity suited my first answer perfectly. Although I myself didn't present my answer well, the activity surely did it for me.




2. Questions to Consider
       a.     What assessment would you give yourself on your Lesson 2 Presentation (self-assessment)?

       AE       P          AP       CR       NC

       b.     Explain why you deserve that grade using evidence from the Lesson 2 component contract.               Unfortunately, I didn't make time. That's already an error and a letter grade down.

3. What worked for you in your Lesson 2?
Again, I think my activity better explained my answer.

4.  (What didn't work) If you had a time machine, what would you have done differently to improve your Lesson 2?Oh, how much I wish I had rehearsed. I was completely unprepared and nervous, hence why I was short on time.

5. Finding Value: What do you think your answer #2 is going to be? 
I'm honestly not sure. I would think something along the lines of preparing yourself and your home or asking the shelter questions about the pet because it's important to know their story.

Blog 12: Third Interview Questions

Content

10 Open Ended Question:

• How can a potential pet owner best prepare for a shelter adoption? 
• What are the most important aspects to being a "responsible"owner?
• What distinguishes a "poor" owner versus a "good" one?
• Is it possible that even the homeless folks with very little money are better pet owners than some? In my experience, I once saw a man asking a money so that he could feed his dog.
• How can we as people in general take action and help these animals out, along with informing others about this sort of information? 
• Say, there's a dog that has special needs. This is your first pet and you just absolutely fell in love with the little dude. Should you get extra training and acquire further research?
• There's an option to adopt online from animal rescue groups out of state. How do those potential pet owners get a background check? Isn't better to have an interview in person? 
• To those already set pet owners who have shy animals of their own, is there anyway the shelter animal they want to adopt be introduced to their pet to see how the two act? This seems very important.
• Is there ever a certain vibe or persona a good pet owner has? I don't know. I think usually on first impressions, you're able to tell.
• What kind of attitude should someone come in with when they're looking to adopt?

Blog 11: Mentorship 10 Hours Check

Content:

1.   Where are you doing your mentorship?
I'm currently doing my mentorship at the Pasadena Humane Society. I will remain doing so, with the exception of a few outer events. 
 
2.   Who is your contact?
 My contact is Elana Blum, also known as the humane educator and pet therapy coordinator at the Pasadena Humane Society. 
 
3.   How many total hours have you done (total hours should be reflected in your mentorship log located on the right hand side of your blog like your WB)?   
Total, so far, I have 41 hours and 45 minutes in.

4.   Summarize the 10 hours of service you did.
I split my 10 hours into two days. Both days consisted of putting together the packages for the kids, as I mentioned in my last blog post. The packages that we mailed out included animal stickers and pencils and stamps and just little goodies for the kids. In between working, my mentor actually let me take this adorable red haired pitbull out for a stroll in the park. We didn't have a name decided for her. But she has a pink and green collar, which I said reminded me of strawberries. And with that, we named her Shortcake! See, her fur is red with a white chest, as a strawberry shortcake would be.
♡




 5.   Email your house teacher the name of your contact and their phone number confirming who they should call to verify it.
Done.